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MN Sports Anyone’s Game

Forget ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” — now we have the LGBT’s Wild World of Sports. After an intensely emotional debate, the Minnesota athletic league tore down the walls between girls’ and boys’ sports teams under the guise of “transgender inclusivity.” The back-and-forth grabbed plenty of national headlines, as critics pleaded with the State High School League to take a deep breath and consider the consequences for student safety, privacy, and competition.

Unfortunately, those concerns fell on deaf ears, and the board voted a whopping 18-1 to bulldoze the gender norms across Minnesota athletics — for public, private, and home schools. With a written statement from their parent or guardian, kids confused about their sex can petition for a spot on girls’ or boys’ teams. And any school caught turning down a request without an iron-clad reason could be slapped with a lawsuit, athletic ineligibility, or both.

It was a jaw-dropping decision for most parents, who can’t imagine their daughter sharing showers and hotel rooms with teenage boys (who may or may not be struggling with their gender). Most high school kids already have anxiety about their bodies. Imagine the discomfort they’d feel surrounded by members of the opposite sex! Apart from the obvious problems with the new rule — which takes effect next year — it also gives boys an unfair advantage in leagues that have a level female playing field.

“A biological male has a larger skeletal structure, more muscle. Generally speaking this is true. To put them in a position where they are competing against girls, puts those girls in a situation where they could get hurt,” warned Michael Lentz, state coordinator of the Minnesota Child Protection League. Autumn Leva, from the Minnesota Family Council, understands that everyone should have the opportunity to play sports. “We wouldn’t want to take away that privilege from anyone, but the answer is not to say that you should be given special privileges above and beyond everyone else. The answer isn’t to say we’re just going to completely ignore physical realities, especially in the world of physical sports.”

Human sexuality isn’t putty to form or manipulate as we choose. It’s the holy creation of an all-powerful God. As adults (and particularly as educators), it’s irresponsible to enable this sexual chaos — especially at the expense of other teenagers. Of course, kids who struggle with these issues shouldn’t be ignored — but nor should the concerns of the vast majority of other athletes who will be negatively impacted by these changes. Apparently, the end game of this madness is to let people define their own biological realities. And while human behaviors are chosen, human gender is not. And once schools start suggesting otherwise, there’s no limit to the social, emotional, and cultural damage it will do.

In sports, as in all education, the ball is in the parents’ court. It’s time to wake up and get involved. While Minnesota’s decision impacts private schools as well, most of these outrageous policies are motivated by public education. Parents, if your children are in the public schools, it’s time to prayerful consider alternatives. The spiritual and moral future of your children is at risk in this increasingly anti-Christian environment.

Tony Perkins is president of the Washington, D.C.-based Family Research Council. He is a former member of the Louisiana legislature where he served for eight years, and he is recognized as a legislative pioneer for authoring measures like the nation’s first Covenant Marriage law.

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